(BEDFORD) - Max Peters, Perry Volunteer Fire Department chief and a township resident for more than 41 years, wants county officials to consider paving the gravel road back to the Lawrence County Recreation park.

Peters told the commissioners that the recreation park draws in between 5,000 to 6,000 people on any given day during the racing season.

"This is only a half a mile stretch of road off Seiboldt Quarry Road, but it is a dangerous situation," Peters says. "Two semis, one coming and one going, can not pass on that roadway and it is difficult to get an ambulance back there. I have had to pull several of the semi's out of the ditches. I would like to see it black topped or chipped and sealed before next year."

Peters added that the racing community brings in thousands of dollars to the community.

The National Weather Service says a tornado was on the ground for about 1.5 miles in and near Bedford Sunday.

Valerie Luchauer, Director of Lawrence County Emergency Management old the commissioners Tuesday morning the EF1 tornado began at 3:57 p.m. about a mile west/northwest of Bedford and ended 1.5 miles northeast of the city. The worst of the city's damage was on M, N and O streets, where trees were uprooted and roofs lifted.
The tornado was about 50 yards wide with winds estimated at 90 mph.

"At this time, there were only two homes where families couldn't stay," Luchauer said.

At one residence, a tree fell onto a house in the 200 block of N Street. The second home had electrical lines pulled from the home.

But officials from the National Weather Service and Luchauer were out again Tuesday assessing damage. To report damage, contact emergency management at 277-9680.

In other business:

The commissioners opened five bids for the courthouse renovations to the 100 plus windows and the heating and cooling systems. The bids were taken under advisement and were reviewed by Mark Heirbrandt of Ameresco HVAC and Mike

The commissioners approved the 2014 holiday schedule and commissioner meeting dates for 2014.

Bob Dillon Lawrence County project manager says Otis Bridge is complete. But he stresses the decking could be slick when there is frost, until crews can put down chip and seal. But first the boards on the bridge have to sit for a month before that job can be done.

Work will begin on the bridge on Mount Pleasant Road.

And repairs were made to the bridge on Sandpit Road.

"It is a short time fix," Dillon says. "The bridge is safe, but we will have to do a re-decking job on it next year. The problem is pot holes and the surface is crumbling and chip and sealing it will not solve the problem because there is nothing for it to stick to."

Lawrence County Sheriff Sam Craig, who was not at the meeting, provided commissioners with the jail count. Commissioner Dave Flinn reported there were 137 inmates in the jail, of those 28 were female and 6 were Department of Correction holds.